


Home Can be a Person

by punkybunny



Category: Iron Man (Movies), Spider-Man (Tom Holland Movies), Spider-Man - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe, Domestic Fluff, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Family Feels, Homeless Peter Parker, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Nightmares, Orphan Peter Parker, Parent Tony Stark, Past Sexual Abuse, Peter Parker Needs a Hug, Peter Parker is a Mess, Precious Peter Parker, Tony Stark Acting as Peter Parker's Parental Figure, Tony Stark Has A Heart, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, not too much tho, the abuse is discussed very heavily so please be careful, this seems like an angsty mess but its really so fluffy i swear
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-05
Updated: 2021-01-05
Packaged: 2021-03-16 06:33:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,708
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28577565
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/punkybunny/pseuds/punkybunny
Summary: Peter has been homeless for the past three months after running away from CPS. When he spends a particularly cold night alone sleeping on a rooftop, Tony takes him in. Peter realizes that maybe he can find a home again.
Relationships: Peter Parker & Tony Stark
Comments: 27
Kudos: 497
Collections: The Best Irondad/Spiderson Fics, The Best Peter Parker Whump Fics, The Best of the Best MCU Fics





	Home Can be a Person

**Author's Note:**

> This work was very comforting to write... I hope it has that same effect on some of y’all. <3 
> 
> Warning: This story deals with physical child abuse and sexual abuse! There are no graphic details of the sexual abuse though I did slightly go into detail of the physical abuse that Peter went through. Both are heavily discussed but they are all from the past! Please please please take care of yourselves!

It was so cold. The winter freeze rippled through the air, and snow began to build up around Peter. The boy curled up tighter, shifting further under the small overhang. The apartment complex roof he used as his current makeshift shelter was fairly high up, further dropping the temperature. 

At least this was better than the roof he had hung out on last week. This one had a staircase that led up to it, and because of that, there was an overhang that could provide some relief from the cold. Peter wished he could camp out inside of the staircase, but it was locked. Peter's puffy winter jacket and sweater weren't doing all that much to block the freezing wind. Especially considering Peter didn't even shiver and his body had no way of thermoregulating. 

He did have his suit on underneath the clothes with the heater dialed up, but he had a suspicion that it was breaking from the frequent use. It now hardly emitted any heat, but at least it was another layer - a skin tight one at that. 

Peter considered calling Tony for help. He often entertained the thought of reaching out, but ultimately decided against it. Tony was the only actual adult in his life at the moment, but it didn't matter. He knew the man would send him off to CPS. Peter couldn't do that again. So, the teen shoved that thought away and turned back to the task at hand. Keeping warm.

Reaching for his mask and tugging it on his head, Peter called out, "Karen?" 

"Yes, Peter?" 

Peter stood up, feeling stiff and slightly sluggish from the cold. "Is there anything nearby that I can help with?" Patrolling would definitely heat him up. 

Karen listed off a couple low-risk crimes nearby and Peter swung off towards the closest one. He kept his jacket on to help stave off the cold, unbothered by how he must look. He also made sure to bring his backpack with him. He knew from living on the streets that there was a chance he could lose it, even if he did leave it on top of a roof. His whole life was in that bag afterall. 

The afternoon continued on that way, with the teen stopping small muggings and leading lost children to their parents. He even encountered an almost frozen homeless man and directed him kindly to a shelter. It was ironic, how Peter himself refused to stay in shelters. He didn't want to be sent away again, to be fostered by so many different families who seemed to not give him the time of day. He didn't want another foster parent like Skip.

Plus, he told himself that if he was back in the system, there was no way he could continue to be Spider-man. When he was living with different foster families, it was difficult to find time to patrol. He usually shared a room with other kids. Or sometimes the rules the parents set were too tough to work his way around. But now he had all the time to do what he enjoyed the most. He got the chance to help others, to feel valuable. 

Peter was about to head back to his rooftop and call it a night. His stomach felt as though it was eating itself from the inside out. The granola bars stuffed inside his backpack were calling for him. But as the teen began swinging back, he was alerted of an incoming call from Tony.

Peter cursed, immediately thinking back to try and figure out what he had done wrong. Tony rarely ever contacted him directly. That wasn't to say that they weren't on good terms. The two had been getting closer over the past couple weeks after the Vulture incident, with Peter staying over occasionally to work in the lab. It was tough, though, to constantly lie to Tony, the man believing that Peter was still in foster care. 

Nevertheless, Peter answered the call, knowing that if he didn't, Tony could force it through anyway. "Hey, Mr. Stark," He squeaked out, trying his best to not sound startled. 

"Hey, kid." Tony sounded like he was in his lab, the faint background noise of music present. "Don't you think it's a little too late for you to be patrolling? Not to mention it's freezing out there." 

Peter quickly checked the time. How was it already 11 p.m.? "Uh, yeah, I didn't notice…"

Tony sighed, and Peter could just imagine him pinching the bridge of his nose like he always did. "Did you tell your guardian that you're coming back late?" 

Peter felt his heart rate spike. He couldn't let the conversation go in this direction. "It's okay! I swear, I'm on my way back now." 

"Okay, okay. Just… " Tony paused and Peter flipped through the sky towards the rooftop, trying to get his breathing under control. "Maybe you should tell me your guardian's number? In case something happens, and I need to contact them." 

The teen floundered for a response. He purposely always made sure he camped out above apartment complexes, because he knew Tony tracked him. He made sure to patrol in the early mornings or afternoons, because the man thought he still went to school. Peter went to such great lengths to convince Tony that he was still in the system and that he had a home. But he didn't have a number to give to Tony. He thought about maybe telling his mentor Mrs. Leed's number, but no, Tony already knew her number from when Peter hung out at Ned's house. Other than his teachers, those were the only adults in his life! 

His silence must have stretched on for far too long, because Tony chuckled and continued. "Let me guess, they're not a fan of mine? Or is it because of the Avengers? I know there are many people nowadays that don't agree with what we've done, and I can respect that. Is that it, kid? You embarrassed of me?"

"No! No, I…" Wait, that was actually a decent excuse. He would have to take it. "I mean, I'm not embarrassed of you, but they don't really like the whole Iron Man thing. I kinda just lie and say I'm going to Ned's when we have lab days… Sorry." That sounded convincing, right?

"Alright, kid. Even though I don't condone lying, I understand. We'll talk about this again, okay?" Peter was glad to hear that he didn't sound suspicious at all. 

He nodded, then remembered that Tony couldn't see him. "Okay, Mr. Stark. I'm home now. I'm gonna head in." Peter landed on the rooftop and sat down in his usual spot, huddled against the small brick structure in the center. Even more snow had built up atop the building. 

"Okay. Bye, Pete." 

"Bye, Mr. Stark." The call disconnected and Peter softly said goodnight to Karen before she shut off the suit. In order to avoid suspicion, the heater turned off as well. Peter kept the mask on, for the way it covered his ears, but he did slightly roll up the bottom half to eat his small dinner.

He fell asleep that night too quickly, the cold making his body slower and sleepier. Curling up tight into a small ball, the wind continued to whip against him and his stomach rumbled, an all too familiar sound. 

\---

The next couple days were much the same, but the cold seemed to grow even stronger. There was a constant wind that freezed him down to his core. Sometimes when he was particularly hungry, Peter ventured down to head to a church and receive a hot meal. But it was always risky. He made sure to keep his hood up, hoping to mask his face a little. Peter knew he looked young. He couldn't be sent away again. Some people chose to just ignore him even if they saw how young he was, but Peter couldn't risk it. 

Peter met up with Ned, and they went to the latter's house to play with legos. It was times like this that Peter felt like he was his age again. He could laugh with his friend and discuss Star Wars all through the night. Ned even gave him some worksheets from class that he copied for him so that Peter could continue to study. Peter usually brought those to his lab days with Tony, pretending that they were his homework.

Ned knew about his situation and there were several instances where the boy almost told his mother or the teachers at Midtown. But Peter always convinced him that it was safest for him. He had bad experiences with foster families. He was better off on his own. Ned hardly believed him and constantly worried for his friend, but he gave in, at least for the time being. Peter felt bad, forcing Ned to keep his secret, when he knew that the boy just cared about him. 

But Peter always went back to that rooftop. Even more snow was building up, but the teen was diligent to clean it away from the spot he slept in. He wore almost all the clothes he owned, layer after layer. Even then, it was difficult to stay warm. Patrolling became more and more common as he needed to keep moving if he wanted to generate heat. 

It was one night that was particularly bad. The boy felt his teeth chatter violently, each freezing breeze of air almost knocking him over. Peter could hardly move, his limbs feeling as though they were trapped in place, his arms wrapped tightly around his knees as they pressed against his chest. 

The teen's eyelids drooped repeatedly, and he was exhausted anyway, so he allowed himself to drift off a tad. 

\---

Fluttering his eyes open slowly, he found it difficult to keep them open. There were flurries of snow swirling through the air, the wind somehow picking up even more. His eyes stung, and he attempted to lift a hand to shield them, but he found his limbs felt like lead. A fog covered his mind, but he realized somehow that it was bright out. All he could see was white. He slept through the whole night? Normally, he was awoken multiple times by nightmares and paranoia, but not today.

A yawn rippled through his throat, causing wetness to swell in his eyes. With a pang of fear, Peter realized he didn't feel cold anymore. How? He was always cold lately. It was hard to remember ever being warm.

Something had to be wrong with him. Panic pulsed through the teen, and he feared not for the first time if he would die. Would his body just give out? Would he freeze to death alone on a rooftop? Peter gasped, as terror gripped his heart. This fear of death was familiar to the teen. He felt this way before, when the building collapsed on him on homecoming night. When he was beaten to a pulp by Skip for missing his curfew too many nights in a row. When he had touched Peter even after he begged him not to-

Peter struggled to draw in any breaths, and he wondered if his lungs were freezing. Did that happen to cold people? Why couldn't he focus on any one thought for long? It must be the cold, the snow. But Peter couldn't feel it anymore. If he couldn't feel it, was he really even cold at all?

Suddenly, there was a loud sound that was familiar. But he couldn't place what it was. And then he saw red. Like, he literally saw the color red. And gold? It was so difficult to think. 

Someone was calling out to him, and Peter managed to give a droopy smile. His eyelids began to close once again, but the red and gold didn't want that. The voice grew more frantic. And worried? Who could be worried for him? 

And then there was darkness, but before Peter lost all awareness, he felt strong, steady arms around him and a terrified voice in his ear saying words he couldn't comprehend. 

\---

The first thing that Peter became aware of when he woke up was the warmth. His limbs finally felt relaxed, after being tense from the cold for so long. Then he noticed that he was laying on something much softer than his usual resting spots. It was slightly uncomfortable, how soft it was. 

Then the teen's hearing returned. At first it was steady mechanical beeping. Then his heartbeat. Then another heartbeat close to his own, but this one was irregular. Finally he heard various voices from far away, a common background noise that almost comforted him. 

Peter blinked his eyes open and he saw white just like before. But this white wasn't blinding. He was in a hospital room. Oh yeah, Peter had been freezing. Someone must have found him, but who would? He never encountered anyone else on his rooftop. 

"Welcome to the land of the living, kid."

The boy snapped his head towards the voice at his left, scrambling to sit up even as his vision blurred. Tony sat in a chair next to his hospital bed. The man looked well put together as usual and his gaze was stern. Peter swallowed hard, and opened his mouth to stutter out a response. 

But Tony continued on. "Do you want to explain to me why you were sleeping on a rooftop in the middle of a snowstorm?" 

Peter fiddled with his fingers, turning his gaze downwards. Of course Tony would be angry with him. Peter had been careless, and now he was going to lose the suit and be sent off to foster care again. Well, the least he could do was try to explain himself. "I-I was patrolling and I must have lost t-track of time! I swear I didn't mean to! I was headed home…"

Tony's voice remained steely and hard to read. "Kid. I should have looked into this a while ago." He sighed and Peter tensed, his eyes not leaving the hospital blanket in his lap. Tony knew. "There aren't any foster families living in that apartment complex. And Peter… you aren't even in the system anymore. You haven't been for three months."

Dread built up in the pit of the boy's stomach and he blinked back the wetness in his eyes. Sharply turning his head to look at Tony, Peter exclaimed before he could stop himself, "You can't tell them! Please, Mr. Stark, I… " He struggled to catch his breath.

Confusion and shock suddenly overtook Tony's hard expression. "Woah, Pete. Tell who?" His mentor held up his hands in a placating gesture. 

"You…" Peter clutched the blanket til his knuckles turned white. "CPS. You can't tell them! I- I can't go back." 

"Why?" The man's eyebrows drew together in worry as he seemed to come to a conclusion. "Pete… Was someone hurting you?" 

The assumption was correct in a way but not completely. Technically, Peter left a couple families after Skip. But that doesn't mean the ghost of what that man had done didn't linger with him, didn't terrify him to the point where he needed to run away for fear that history would repeat itself. Peter wondered if he should tell the truth to Mr. Stark. Would he listen? He opened his mouth, and before he could stop, a half-lie tumbled out, "No! I just… I wanted to continue being Spider-man, and I couldn't while I was living with such strict curfews-" 

That hadn't been the right thing to say. Tony stood up sharply and crossed his arms in frustration. "Peter, you need to take care of yourself. You were freezing out there, and if I didn't bring you back in time, you could have died! If you continue to put your life at risk just to dress up and swing around New York, then maybe I'll have to-"

"Please, don't take the suit away! Please, Mr. Stark, I'll be more careful." Peter hated how desperate he sounded, but right now, Spider-man was all he had. 

"No, Peter, you need to listen to me! This is to keep you safe. You're going to stay in the Medbay until you're healthy and then I'm going to call CPS! End of conversation."

Peter felt tears well up in his eyes. No, he didn't want to go back. To be tossed around from home to home. To be hurt again. What if he got sent to Skip again? What if there was someone just as bad, or worse than Skip out there? 

His breath sped up and his vision blurred. Mr. Stark yelled at him again. Just like so many foster parents had done when he broke rules. Just like Skip had done every single day, even when he had done nothing wrong. Peter knew that Mr. Stark wouldn't hurt him, wouldn't hit him. But that didn't stop the pure fear from spreading through him, the memories from resurfacing.

"Please, I'm sorry." He could vaguely hear himself mumbling. "'m sorry… I'll be good. Please… " Peter felt like he might die. He curled into himself and wheezed, squeezing his eyes closed. He tugged at his hair, almost pulling it out. He didn't want to go back. 

Suddenly a warm hand covered one of his own, and gently pried his fingers out of his hair. Peter felt his other arm drop on its own accord shortly after. There was a voice right next to him that tried to break the fog. He attempted to listen with all his might, the buzzing in his ears persisting. "-eter, hey. It's okay, kid…" 

After a moment of struggling to return to reality, Peter pried his eyes open and peered to the side, where Tony now sat. The man looked so much older at that moment, worry and stress radiating off of him in waves. When he saw the teen look his way, he tried to smile. "There you are. Good to have you back." 

Peter felt his cheeks flush in embarrassment, realizing he had just had a panic attack in front of his mentor. "Sorry." 

"I never wanna hear that word from you again." A pause, where Tony removed his hands but stayed at the boy's side. He sighed, before venturing, "Do you feel like telling me what that was about?" 

The teen swallowed hard, knowing that now it was inevitable. Tony knew he had run away. He might as well know why. Maybe Peter could finally put the lies behind him. "There was another reason for me leaving foster care." Then, quietly, "You weren't too far off." He wasn't off at all. 

Tony sucked in a surprised breath and then tightened his lips into a thin line. He didn't look happy. Peter desperately hoped he wasn't angry at him. 

It was difficult to continue, but he knew he needed to, so he did. "One of my foster fathers was very harsh. He yelled a lot." Overwhelming guilt flashed through Tony's eyes and he looked like he might say something, but Peter kept going. "He-he started to…" 

A firm hand came up to squeeze his shoulder and Tony murmured, "It's fine. You don't have to continue." 

Peter shook his head. "No, I want to. I've never told anyone before, and I think it would be good for me to." With a deep breath, he continued. "He started to hurt me. It was just a slap at first. Then, it got so much worse. I thought… I might die. Once, he… he even… he t-touched me." 

Holding onto himself, Peter squeezed his eyes shut in an attempt to repress the memory. He was also scared to look at Tony. The teen had never told anyone because he wondered if he would be blamed for not speaking up sooner. For not asking for help at the warning signs. And what if Tony thought he was weak? After all, the man was a superhero and Peter was supposed to be one, too. 

Instead of responding harshly, Tony wrapped his arms around the boy, albeit a little bit awkwardly. He did it slow enough that Peter would have had the chance to pull away. But he didn't want to. He wanted to be comforted and held and coddled. He wanted the support that he had been missing this past year since his aunt and uncle passed away. 

Peter looked up to see Tony's expression and was shocked to not see pity, but a fiery anger in his eyes. But his gaze quickly softened when he looked at the teen. "He can never hurt you again. I swear. You shouldn't have gone through something like that. And I'm so sorry, Pete. I shouldn't have gotten so angry. I was worried out of my mind when I found you freezing on that rooftop. I…" He hesitated, probably unfamiliar with such soft words. Peter had to admit that he was thrown off a bit. "I have space in the tower. If, ya know, you want to stay here. If not, well, you certainly aren't allowed to live on the streets again. But we'll figure something out, okay?" 

Peter nodded. "I didn't mean to keep it from you or make you worried. It wasn't personal, I promise." 

"I know, kid. I know." Tony stood up and stretched, his back popping. "Now what was that bastard's name?"

\---

Peter decided to stay at the tower for the time being, even though he felt like a burden. Before, he would never have agreed to staying here because he felt that he could take care of himself. And Peter had taken care of himself for a while. But now it was apparent to the teenager that he had made a mistake. He needed help. It was strange to grasp that concept after being fine on his own for so long. 

Living at the tower was so much different than just visiting. He never had to worry about going home to a foster family or about lying to his mentor. Peter stayed in a guest room on Tony's floor and because of that, they interacted quite a bit. There was an awkwardness, an uncertainty that hung in the air around them whenever they were together. Peter had told Tony so much about his trauma that he had never told anyone else before. Tony, on the other hand, was clearly tentative with how he acted around the kid. He obviously made an effect to be less snarky, but in turn, it left the both of them floundering with how exactly to speak to one another.

Since Peter didn't go to school anymore, and couldn't without a legal guardian, he spent much time at the tower. He also was prohibited from patrolling for the time being, as Tony wanted to make adjustments to the suit. The man wanted to make sure Peter's heater lasted a while and he also added new protocols and updated the tracking system while he was at it. 

Peter suspected that another reason he wasn't allowed to patrol was because Tony was growing a bit overprotective, but he decided to not dwell on it. At least his mentor wasn't taking away the suit for good. 

It was a day where Peter was deciding to finally cook something for himself, tired of always eating snacks or takeout. Not to mention, occasionally Tony made meals for him, and that just had Peter feeling beyond guilty. He was already living in his home, he might as well feed himself. 

Peter was just planning on making some spaghetti with marinara sauce since it seemed fairly do-able. The noodles were easy, though he may not have waited long enough for the pasta to boil. It was taking forever, alright? But when it came time to heat up the sauce, Peter just had to mess it up. 

He had taken his phone out of his backpack when he received a text from Ned. The bag was always with him at the tower, just like it had been on the streets. It was instinct to keep it at his side, in case of an emergency and he had to leave. He also couldn't help but fear that someone would snatch it - even though it made no sense for someone here to even want the flimsy old bag. 

So he went to respond to Ned, reaching down for the bag at his feet. The two boys had a discussion about the chemistry homework that Ned had given him a day ago. Apparently it was due at the end of the week, and Ned was struggling with a couple of the problems. Peter had already finished it because of all of his free time as of late, so he went through the steps with his friend. 

There was then a loud bubbling noise from the stove and without looking over, Peter reached to turn the temperature down. Maybe he should have been paying attention, because a moment went by and then there was a loud crash as the lid of the pot smacked into the ceiling and the hot marinara sauce splashed all over the kitchen. 

Peter startled, dropping his phone, and floundered around, not quite sure what to do. There was sauce on his face and clothes, on the stove, the walls, and the counter. Peter quickly turned off the heat for both the pasta and the now empty pot of sauce. 

Tony came in a moment later to see the teen frantically wiping marinara sauce off of the kitchen walls. Really, he should have been annoyed at the mess, but when the kid turned to look at him with wide eyes, sauce on his face, Tony couldn't help but burst into laughter. 

"Kid, what - oh my god - how does someone mess up when making spaghetti?" He asked between his bouts of snickering. 

Peter flushed and continued his work. "It's fine, I'm cleaning it up now-" 

"Pete, I'm really not worried. I can just get someone to clean this." Tony took the paper towel from his hands and started to gently wipe it from the boy's face. They both froze at the action, surprised by the parental nature of it, before Tony averted his gaze to the clump of tomato in Peter's curls. "How about this: I know a great Italian restaurant not too far from here that we could go to. And when we come back, it'll be like this mess-," He picked up the tomato chunk and tossed it. "-never happened. Capiche?" 

Peter looked as though he wanted to protest but instead he gave a small smile and nodded. "Okay, sounds good." 

The restaurant was small and homely, the smell of fresh baked bread and tomatoes pungent in the air. Peter wasted no time wolfing down his food when it arrived, much to Tony's amusement. They both had a great time, and Peter was glad that the awkwardness between them seemed to ebb away at least a little. 

\---

Tony really hoped he was doing what was right. When he got a notification from Friday saying that Peter's heart rate was slowing down and that he was quite literally slowly freezing to death, the man had just about had a heart attack. He had been trying his best to mentor the kid, to keep him safe. He knew that Peter wasn't close to any of the foster families he was sent to (going by the fact that the boy never even talked about them), so he hoped to guide him. To be there for him as any responsible adult should. Even if it was difficult considering his inexperience with children and, well, being a good role model. 

But when he heard that Peter was in danger, he immediately rushed over. He was sitting on a roof in a snowstorm, and if it wasn't for his Iron Man mask, Tony would not have been able to see him. The boy had smiled at Tony before promptly passing out. It was terrifying. Tony had to will himself to not full-on spiral, but to instead gather the teen into his arms and bring him to the tower.

Dr. Cho looked Peter over, stating that he would recover quickly, but that his body was significantly weakened due to low nutrients. She said that Peter hadn't been eating enough for the past 3 months. Not enough for a regular teenage boy, not to mention an enhanced one. Tony felt like he had been slapped across the face. How hadn't he noticed sooner? Peter never let Tony contact his guardians, not since the first time they met. The kid was slowly losing weight and Tony didn't notice. Peter had obviously been more anxious as of late, almost as though he was constantly afraid of revealing a secret. There were so many signs, but Tony had been too oblivious. 

So he finally did the research and confirmed what he already was beginning to suspect. He confronted Peter when the boy woke up a day later, and eventually, Peter revealed what had happened to him while he was in the system and why he had run away. It took everything in the billionaire to not storm out of the room and pit all of his lawyers against that man. Or better yet - hunt him down and make sure he never hurt another child again. 

And of course, Tony already had his team ready right when the kid revealed his abuser's name (Skip - the bastard's name was Skip Westcott). But Peter had needed him, so at the moment he was a little preoccupied with comforting the boy. It was surprising how easy it came to Tony, considering how long he tried to distance himself for fear of messing the teen up. Now that he truly let himself care for him, he found it impossible to stop. 

Now he had Peter staying with him at the tower. Tony would never admit it, but he was missing having any company since him and Pepper were currently taking a break. Sure, Rhodey and Happy visited occasionally, but for most of the time, he was alone. Now he got to hang out with the kid more than just once a week on their lab days. Peter was an absolute ray of sunlight, and anyone would be happy to be in his presence. 

And now, the man found himself wondering if he was doing the right thing. Should he really be letting Peter stay here? There's always the chance that he could be fostered with a family that ends up wanting to keep him. Tony felt like he was taking that chance away from the kid. And did he even know how to care for a teenager? He hardly took care of himself. But as they spent more and more time together, Tony realizes that he genuinely wants to take care of Peter. He wants to help the boy feel safe. 

Tony slowly began to research how to foster a kid. The information quickly overwhelmed him, and thoughts of doubt creeped into his mind. Maybe he wasn't fit for caring for another human being. Afterall, his own father definitely wasn't a good role model. 

It had been a month since Peter started staying at the tower. It was getting late into the night, his thoughts wandering as he skimmed through an ebook on parenting. He needed to sleep. To really think this through. He was moving too quickly, it's not like Peter would be staying here long enough for Tony to need to become his legal guardian. Right?

He shook the thoughts away, and rose to head off to sleep. As he passed by Peter's room, he paused. If he was going to watch over this kid, he may as well start with something simple like saying goodnight to him. Tony knocked softly. No reply. It was late, but not that late. Peter usually stayed up on his phone in typical teenager fashion. Sometimes Tony, in a fit of sudden excessive worry, had checked on the kid in the middle of the night. He found that Peter preferred to move his blankets and pillows to the ground to sleep. When he looked this up online, he found that apparently this wasn't uncommon behavior, considering the boy hadn't slept in a bed in a long time and probably found it too uncomfortable. 

Anyways, there was no response the first time or the second time Tony knocked. He quietly pushed open the door and was greeted with the sight of an empty room. The window was wide open, snow being let inside. Panic, like he was all too familiar with seized his chest. "Friday? Where's Peter?" 

The response was immediate. "Peter is on the roof, boss." 

The roof. He was on the roof. Why? The confusion somehow helped ease the panic. At least Peter was nearby. He hadn't run away. But what was he doing up there? 

Without even being aware of his actions, Tony was on his way to the rooftop, taking the elevator up. When he arrived, he prepared himself for the worst, but instead he just saw the boy sprawled out in the middle of the roof. It wasn't nearly as freezing as it had been a month ago, but there was still a slight chill in the air. Peter was dressed for it - a hoodie, a winter jacket, and a wool beanie atop his head. And of course, the backpack at his side. The teen's gaze was focused on the dark sky overhead and whether or not he heard Tony arrive, he didn't show it. 

"Pete?" Tony called out, wrapping his arms around himself and wishing he had brought his own jacket. "What are you doing up here?" 

Peter glanced back at him and then turned around again, shrugging. "I just needed some fresh air, Mr. Stark." 

With a sigh that had him sounding older than he was, Tony stood next to the boy. "Wanna try again?" 

That caused a slight smile to overtake Peter's face. He almost looked wistful - Tony expected Peter to be sulking up here or worse, but instead he appeared content. "I guess I just wanted something familiar. After living out here-" He nodded towards the skyline. "-for so long, I'm used to it? Sometimes, I miss being out in the elements. Feeling free, not caged in." Peter paused, his eyes going wide. "I don't mean that the tower is like a prison or anything, just that it sometimes feels like such a huge change compared to how I was living before!" 

A chuckle escaped Tony's mouth before he realized it was happening. "Don't worry, kid, I'm not offended. I can't say I completely understand, but it does make sense that those two living circumstances are so different. Alright." The genius clapped his hands together and began heading back towards the elevator. "I'll be right back, just give me a moment." 

And he arrived back just moments later holding two thermoses of hot chocolate, a jacket around his shoulders, and a pile of blankets and pillows balanced in his arms. 

They spent an hour or two up on the rooftop, huddled together for warmth. Peter sipped at his hot chocolate and gasped when he found out there were marshmallows in it as well. Tony chuckled and ruffled his brown curls, leaning over to wrap the blankets more firmly around the boy.

The man decided to indulge Peter at least for a bit, because if what he needed was to climb onto the roof and stare at the sky in chilly weather, then he could allow it. But he would make sure the boy was decently warm while he was at it. Tony realized that maybe he didn't completely know how to care for a child, but if Peter's wide smiles and laughter were anything to go by, he thought he was doing alright. 

\---

Peter started to become more comfortable in the tower. He began patrolling again and everyday when he headed back, he knew he was going home. The tower was home now. It was a tradition now to head home at around 7 and then he would work in the lab with Tony after they finished eating dinner. Peter didn't have to lie and complete homework that Ned had given him (but sometimes he still did because he honestly missed school), and instead he could work on projects with Tony the whole time. Afterward, the pair would usually watch Netflix or a movie. It was nice to have a routine. It made this all feel more real and less like a dream. 

He and Tony were just finishing up a season of Parks And Rec, and the boy couldn't help but feel himself drifting off. His head was firmly squished against Tony's shoulder, with the man's arm looped around him. They would talk and laugh during the episodes, neither minding the banter. But Peter was slowly losing his fight against sleep, his eyelids drooping more and more everytime Tony would chuckle after a funny line, the soft sound rumbling through him.

Eventually, the teen did lose his fight and he allowed himself to succumb to sleep. At first he dreamed of nonsense, the sort of cloudy mindless dreams that aren't remembered the next day. But they began to shift, to morph into twisting shadows and leering figures. The atmosphere became heavy.

It wasn't difficult for the shadows to take shape. To appear as his greatest fear. A tall man with blond hair and a haunting smile approached him. Peter couldn't move and he found himself unable to look away as the man came closer until he loomed over him like he was a shadow across the wall. It was Skip.

Peter wanted to speak, to yell out for help. He had never done that before when he lived with the man, but now that someone knew what had happened to him he felt less alone. But as he opened his mouth to scream, his throat choked up and no sound came out. 

This only seemed to amuse the man more, for his smile grew even larger and he reached out a hand towards Peter. The teen tried to move away, to at least look away. But immediately he was grabbed by Skip and slapped hard. 

No, he didn't want to go through this again. To be here with this man who seemed to only gain pleasure from hurting him. Peter didn't want to feel this weak again, this helpless and fragile. He was Spider-man, so he should be able to defend himself, right? But he couldn't hurt another. If it wasn't him, Skip would be abusing another kid. He knew that.

Peter realized he was being tossed around, and suddenly he was on his side and Skip was kicking him. All he could see was darkness and Skip's face peering out of it as he watched the boy's reactions. He tried to thrash around, to move out of the way once again, but then a punch hit him square in the jaw. More kicking and punching and shoving. 

He was going to die, to never be able to have a proper home again. A family. He missed his aunt and uncle. They were like his parents, raising him all his life and comforting him when he was hurt. Now they were gone. Peter was hoping to maybe be a family with Mr. Stark, to be more than mentor and mentee. 

But now everything was going to be thrown away. No, he didn't want this! Peter tried even harder to fight, the pain unbearably familiar. The figure got even more angry. It moved on top of him. No! Stop, please-

\---

Peter awoke with a cry of pure terror. His eyes darted around, a half-asleep haze clouding them. "No, no, no…" 

He was in the penthouse's living room. In the tower. The TV was switched off and the lights were dimmed. An arm was holding him close, but it was a warm, gentle hold. He looked over to the side. "Mr. Stark," Peter breathed. 

An intense look of fear mixed with worry was drawn across the man's features. It was a new look on him, but one that Peter felt lucky to have seen multiple times before. He still felt bad for being the cause of such worry though. 

"Hey, hey, you're okay, bud," Tony murmured as he rubbed his back in soothing motions and brought another hand up to wind through a mess of curls. "You're safe now. I'm right here." 

Peter pressed his face into Tony's chest on instinct, not resisting the strong urge to be as close as possible to the man. "H-he was there, it felt s-so real… he was…" His breathing began to speed up, memories of the nightmare resurfacing. 

"It was just a nightmare. They locked him up just yesterday, remember? They got him." He waited for the boy to nod against his chest. "You won't ever have to see him again, kiddo. You're safe here. You're safe." 

They both held each other for what felt like hours, Peter working on his breathing as Tony whispered soothing words to him, gently rocking them side to side. Peter sniffled and only then noticed that he had been crying the whole time. He felt bad for soaking Tony's shirt. He decided to voice another thought, one that had been plaguing his mind for forever now. "Why me?" 

Tony must not have heard his soft voice. "What was that, bud?" 

"Why me? What did I do for the universe to hate me so much?" The boy didn't know if he was talking about his parents deaths, or losing his aunt and uncle, or the abuse he went through at the hands of Skip. Maybe he meant all of it. 

Tony just seemed to hold him tighter, the man resting his cheek upon Peter's curls. "None of this is your fault. Don't ever allow yourself to believe that. Even after all of the shi- crap you go through, you always manage to make it out. You are braver and stronger than you will ever know." It felt like a kiss was pressed to the top of his head and Peter let a fresh batch of tears stream down his cheeks at the parental action. "I am so so proud of you, bambino." 

Peter felt his heart soar at that but he couldn't help the fear he was still feeling. "What if he gets out-" He blurted.

"He won't." There was such conviction in those two words. "I will do everything in my power to make sure that bastard never sees the light of day again." 

"...Really?" 

Peter was then pulled away from his resting spot against Tony's chest to instead make eye contact with the man. Tony's gaze was determined, his smile soft as he rested a hand against the boy's cheek. "I swear." 

His worries, at least for the moment, slowly ebbed away, and Peter was left smiling up at his mentor. "Okay," He whispered.

After a moment where they both got their bearings and hugged it out to their heart's content, Peter felt himself start to grow drowsy again. This time, he was much more hesitant. He didn't want to have a repeat of his previous nightmare, to go through all that pain and fear once again. "Could, um…" Peter hesitated to ask for what he wanted.

"What is it? Spit it out, Pete," Tony urged, obviously teasing a little because he could tell it wasn't serious. 

"Could I maybe… stay with you tonight? I know it's so childish and silly and I would be fine on my own, really! Actually, I can just sleep by myself, I don't know what I was thinking-" Peter couldn't help but want to be coddled just like when he lived with his aunt and uncle. When he had a family. May and Ben always let him sleep with them after nightmares, even when he reached his teenage years. He still wanted that comfort that only a parent could give him.

"Kiddo, slow down." His mentor was chuckling, and Peter hoped he wasn't making fun of him. "I don't mind, you can stay with me tonight. If it helps you feel safer and sleep better, then why not?" 

Peter leaned forward to crush Tony in another hug. The boy was beyond grateful to have him in his life. They both headed into Tony's room and slept side by side that night. Peter fell asleep and had pleasant dreams, not once waking up until morning came. There was a comfortable distance between them, but neither would admit that they slowly ended up drifting closer and closer throughout the night. 

\---

As time passed by, Peter continued to occasionally have nightmares. Sometimes he would deal with the aftermath on his own, and other times he would talk to Tony about them and allow the man to soothe his fears. Peter patrolled a lot more often and was glad to have a lot of time everyday to work in the lab with Tony. His mentor even let him help with designing new marks for the Iron Man suit! 

The awkwardness between them was gone now and in its place was a sense of comfort that felt so natural. Peter couldn't have asked for a better place to start healing. Peter stopped bringing his backpack with him everywhere and instead, he filled his bedroom, made it his own. On occasion, the boy worried that this was all temporary and he shouldn't be getting too comfortable, but he tried not to dwell on it, but to enjoy the present. 

Sometimes Rhodey would have free time and he would come to visit them. They usually had dinner together, the living room filled with laughter and playful banter, both men trying to one-up each other when it came to telling embarrassing college stories.

Currently, Tony and Peter were going to the supermarket to buy groceries. Afterward, they would meet Rhodey at the tailor to have a suit customized for Peter. The boy was adamant that he didn't actually need to have one, but Tony insisted, stating that Peter needed a suit if he was going to be his plus one to the next charity gala. 

The event wasn't as large scale as they usually were, and Tony believed it was a good time to show off his genius intern. Peter argued that he wasn't actually his intern, but apparently, to the public, he was. 

"Kiddo, want to explain to me why there are three boxes of cheez-its in the cart?" 

"Huh, I wonder how those got in there. It's a mystery, Mr. Stark!" 

Tony rolled his eyes, but continued pushing the cart forward, leaving the snacks in it. They entered the produce aisles next. Peter came running up (and Tony briefly wondered when he had even left) and tried to sneakily add a cartoon of cookie dough ice cream. "Whatcha got there, Pete?"

"Hey, I'm a growing boy!" Peter plopped it in the cart. "Super metabolism and all that." 

"Alright, well then pick out some fruits and veggies, growing spider-baby." He poked the boy in the stomach and Peter twisted away, giggling. "For that 'super metabolism'." 

There was something about grocery shopping that felt so… domestic. Peter had fond memories of going to the store to buy food with his aunt every other week. Sure, they were shorter on cash and had to buy much less, but the familiarity was still there. Peter wondered why Tony was even going with him, because he knew that the man just paid someone else to shop for him every week. There was a part of the teen that hoped it was different today because maybe his mentor wanted to spend more time with him.

Peter certainly didn't mind. There was something about taking part in a simple activity that was usually reserved for families with Tony that warmed his heart. 

When they finished up with their shopping and checked out (Peter was surprised that no one saw through Mr. Stark's lame cap-and-sunglasses disguise), the pair met up with Rhodey at the tailor's. Peter didn't want to admit it, but he was immensely nervous. He imagined that the tailor knew Tony well and he hoped to not embarrass the man. Peter obviously had no experience with these sorts of things. 

"Peter, you ready?" Rhodey asked. He must have been able to tell how anxious the boy was. "He's just gonna take some measurements and see what style you like. It won't take too long." 

Peter nodded and prepared himself. Rhodey was right: it didn't take long at all. The man chatted with Tony throughout most of it, and that helped Peter feel like he wasn't the center of attention. When it came time to try on a suit, Peter was feeling much better. The clothes were definitely a little too big for him, but luckily, Tony and Rhodey didn't make fun of him, but instead they gave proud smiles as the tailor began to fit the suit to Peter's form. 

"How was it, kid? Not too scary, right?" Tony asked as they headed back to the tower, the new suit sitting in the trunk because Peter certainly didn't have the confidence to wear it out of the building. "Be honest, is it what you dreamed of?"

Peter snorted, about to say that he had never dreamed of three-piece suits before, but he didn't want to hurt the man's feelings. "I love it, I do! Though, it was a little… nerve-wracking? I've never done anything like that before, Mr. Stark!"

Tony chuckled. "Well, there's a first for everything." 

Rhodey decided to join in from his place behind the driver's seat. "Kid, when you put that suit on, I swear for a second I thought I was looking at a younger Tony." 

Peter's eyes went wide and starry, while Tony just silently flushed in the passenger seat. "Really?" 

"Yeah, Peter. He was the same tiny, nerdy kid that tried desperately to hide the fact that he was nervous." 

"Okay, okay," Tony huffed. "I can't believe I'm being betrayed by my own best friend." 

The teen was giggling madly in the backseat before he could help himself. Both men easily joined in, the bright laughter contagious. Tony and Peter made eye contact as the boy was hunched over trying to catch his breath. Tony only smiled fondly at his mentee, and Peter felt his chest burst with warmth, quickly looking away with red cheeks and a goofy grin. 

\---

The charity gala had gone smoothly, no bumps in the road. That doesn't mean Peter wasn't terrified beforehand and during the actual event. He constantly adjusted his hair and stared at his image in the mirror until he didn't even know if he was looking at himself anymore. Luckily, Tony was there to soothe his nerves with playful banter and reassurances. 

There was something about going to the event with Tony as his plus one, about being introduced to so many wealthy individuals that he lost track, that made Peter feel like he was important. Like maybe he actually was a part of Tony's life now. But then the boy realized that he always had been, since the day he met the man. 

Especially nowadays, since the teen had begun living with Tony, he noticed that his mentor wanted him to feel included. Like this was his… house. His place to stay and leave on his own. To feel safe, or to have fun, or to heal from all of the shit that the world has thrown at him. 

"Friday?" Peter asked, his gaze towards the ceiling. 

"Yes, Peter?" 

"Where's Tony?" He was currently waiting for the man to return to the lab. Peter was sitting at his own workbench, tinkering with his web shooters. Tony had gone to get more coffee, but it had been a solid half hour and he hadn't come back yet. 

"Boss is in the kitchen. I have alerted him of your inquiry and now he is asking for your presence." 

Peter stood up in surprise. What was going on? If Tony was hurt or in distress, Friday would have told him. They had just had lunch two hours ago so that couldn't have been it. 

Even though he was confused, Peter made his way up to the penthouse level and towards Tony. The man had his back to Peter and he was facing the kitchen island, sorting through some… papers? "Hey, Mr. Stark." 

Tony jumped, but when he turned to Peter it was obvious he was trying to mask his surprise. "Hey, bud." 

"What's up?" Peter tried to be casual, noticing the slight tremor in Tony's hands and his increased heartbeat. 

"Could you sit with me for a sec, Pete?" Tony motioned for the boy to follow him over to the couch, and Peter obliged, eyeing the papers that Tony set face down across from them on the coffee table. 

"Is something wrong?" Tony's nervous mannerisms were starting to influence Peter, his own stomach filling with dread. 

"No, no, nothing's wrong," Tony was quick to ease his worries. The man twisted his hands together and then took a steadying deep breath. "Peter, I…" He cleared his throat and began again. "Since I met you, I knew that you were destined for so much. You're such a special kid. At first, I was scared of messing you up, so I kept my distance. But since you've started staying here after…"

He paused and Peter knew what the unspoken words were. After he ran away from his foster family. After he survived on the streets on his own, sleeping on rooftops. After he lived in fear that he would never feel safe again. 

Tony swallowed and fumbled for what to say next, and Peter just watched patiently. Tony had been so patient with him lately, it was the least he could do. "Kiddo, you have become a part of this home. I am so glad that I get to take care of you and guide you." He turned to the boy with a soft yet determined gaze. "I would love for you to stay here. For as long as you want." 

Peter couldn't help but blurt out, "Are you sure? I know I'm a lot more work than a regular teenager and you didn't have any time to prepare-" 

"Kid, you're so easy to care for. Do you know why?" Peter slowly shook his head. "Because I want to care for you. You aren't difficult at all - you're honestly so self-sufficient for your age, it's almost weird." 

"You sure you don't mind having to feed me triple the amount that a regular teenager eats?" 

"Nope. In fact, it's a good thing because it reminds me to eat as well." 

Peter glanced downward with a small, bashful smile on his lips. "Oh, okay." 

It seemed as though Tony had more to say as he shifted and took another deep breath. "Peter, do you enjoy living here?"

The answer was immediate and genuine. "Yes, of course! I love getting to work in the lab every day and patrol whenever I want. And… I like spending time with you." 

Tony smiled softly down at the boy when he heard that. "Would you like to make this your home? Like, officially? I've discussed it with Rhodey and Happy and my lawyers already. It won't be too difficult at all. I haven't told Pepper yet but she probably expects as much, and really it's not her choice anyway cuz we're on a break-" 

"Like, you would be my guardian?" Tony paused his rambling when he heard the boy's quiet question, his gaze hopeful. 

"Yeah, bud. You can say no, though, we can sort something out if this isn't what you want." 

"No, I-I want that. I would like that." 

Tony rubbed the back of his neck, fighting some lingering nervous energy. He picked up the paperwork that sat on the table and flipped through them absentmindedly. Peter knew just from reading a few words that they were foster care applications. "I would have to foster you. I've done my research and gotten the tower approved. Might have had to pull some strings… but I was thinking, would you…would you like for me to adopt you, Pete?"

Peter's eyes went wide as saucers. Those were the words he had dreamed about hearing ever since he entered the system. But this past month, he had been hoping to even hear them from Mr. Stark. To actually have that question thrown at him… it felt like a dream. Nevertheless, he wasted no time at all launching himself at his mentor and hugging him tight. "Yes, yes, yes! I would love for you to adopt me, Mr. Stark!" 

Holding his kid close, Tony couldn't help but chuckle in surprise at his excitement. "Are you sure? I'd still have to foster you for a bit beforehand." 

"I'm totally sure!" Peter paused for a second to turn his hopeful brown eyes towards Tony. "You… you really want me?" 

Peter was so used to being taken in by so many different foster parents, that he knew to not get his hopes up. Some of them were kind and patient with him, but they never seemed to last long. They always sent him off to another family. But with Tony it was different; it felt right. Maybe there was a small part of him that subconsciously knew that this would happen eventually. 

His mentor brought a hand up to cup his cheek. "Of course I want you, bambino. I couldn't imagine having any other kid. You're already family. And it feels like… this has already been your home for a while now." 

With a smile that threatened to split the boy's face in two, Peter leaned in to hug Tony even tighter this time. "You're my family, too." 

And they were a family; they had been for a long time. Peter finally allowed himself to feel content and safe because he knew he had a home now. His house was the tower. And his home was Tony.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! <3


End file.
